A new animal-rights group is pledging to defend the deer in Shawnee Mission Park.

August 2009

Jason Miller, founder of Bite Club of KC, recently asked to meet with the staff of the Johnson County Park and Recreation District to discuss their concerns. Miller said that request was turned down. So, he and his group plan to show up at the next park board meeting Aug. 19 and present those concerns during the public comment portion of the meeting. A demonstration is also planned.

In a unanimous vote last month, the board approved a plan to employ sharpshooters and bow hunters to solve the problem of too many deer in Shawnee Mission Park.

The board wants to reduce the herd from about 200 deer per square mile to 50-- a 75 percent reduction.

"If the deer herd in Shawnee Mission Park is not culled or reduced as humanely as possible, Mother Nature will do so," said Michael Meadors, park district director. "And I believe it will be less humane--through starvation or worse, disease that could wipe out the entire herd."